Drivers of system should be stable and sincere to make it beneficial
Only legislation is not enough to face crises, but implementation also
Despite Bhutto ban, I attended the 1970 assembly session
Pakistan would be prosperous, developed and stable if results of 1970 polls accepted open heartedly
Interview by: Nazia Hussain
Islamabad : Prominent lawyer, veteran politician and senior parliamentarian Ahmed Raza Kasuri, was born in Kasur, the well-populated city of the Punjab province. He has witnessed so many ups and down of national politics and history during his life. He has the honor of being a founding member of Pakistan People Party (PPP) but later on, he has resigned from party .owing to difference with the top leadership of the party including Zulfiqar Ali Bhutt (ZAB). During an exclusive interview with Sunday Times, Mr. Kasueri, has unveiled many secrets of national history especially in the back drop of 1971 tragedy. Now-a-days, Mr. Kasuri is associated with All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), the political party of former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf and is holding the slot of President APML action committee.
Here are some exerts of his interview with Sunday Times.
Sunday Times (ST) : Welcome Ahmed Raza Kasuri Sahib
Kasuri Sahib (KS) : Thank you very much indeed.
ST: Please share us about your family back ground and your profile.
KS: I belongs to a historical family, which have ruled over Kasur during Mughal era over 200 years. That is why, most of the names of important places in Kasur were named after my forefathers. Basically we are Afghan national. My grandfather Nawab Muhammad Ismail Merith was second-in-command of All India Muslim League after Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He had decided to stay in India as per direction of Quaid-e-Azam after the creation of Pakistan. He would be the first PM of Pakistan, if he come back. My grandfather Nawab Ishaq Khan was the founding member of Ali Garh Muslim University, it is historical fact that Ali Garh Muslim University had played a vital role in Pakistan movement.
And now I would tell you about my personal life. I was born in Kasur, got primary education in the same city and then matriculated from Central Model School Lahore. After this, I sought admission in Government College Lahore and did graduation and then B.A (Honor) and after LLB from Punjab University.
During my college life, I was the active member of debating team and took parts in many competitions and won as many as 11 prizes. I also took part in student politics and I was the first student leader who raised voice for democracy during General Ayub era. It was the time when icon of the politics including Mumtaz Daultana, Noor-ul-Amin and Chatta were silent and taking rest in their luxury houses.
In 1963, when I was student of law I started a student movement against black law ABDO introduced by General Ayub and as a punishment I was expelled from the college for two years adding that I also remained under detention in Lahore Fort for 6 weeks.
I started my carrier as a lawyer and then joined Pakistan Peoples Party led by ZAB.
ST: Tell us about your political carrier.
KS: Pakistan People Party was found at my resident on Nov 30th, 1967. I have provided public platform to ZAB and took him to Kasur where he visited the shrine of great Punjabi sufi poet Hazrat Baba Bullah Shah before formal announcement of Pakistan People Party. The concept of well-known slogan of PPP (Roti-Kapra aur Makan) has been derived from the poetry of Hazrat Baba Bullah-e-Shah.
ST: When you were elected parliamentarian for the first time?
KS: In 1970, when general elections in Pakistan were held. PPP has awarded me a ticket to contest the election of National Assembly and I was the youngest MP,who elected with majority of votes of my constituency. I am also founding father of 1973 constitution of Pakistan and played a major role in its preparation.
ST: Why your differences with PPP Chairman ZAB had developed?
KS: Actually, I started my debate on 1973 constitution on behalf of opposition when Pakistan broke into two parts on March 3rd, 1971. Despite imposing sever ban by party’s Chairman ZAB on elected PPP parliamentarian not to attend assembly session scheduled to hold in Dacca, I was the first PPP, MP who went Dacca to attend the session and openly violated the Chairman orders. If this session was held, the Pakistan of today would be prosperous, developed and democratic country.
ST: And you mean that results of 1970 elections were not accepted?
KS: Yes, of course. These elections were held under Legal Frame Work Order (LFO). This situation became worsened when elections were held. There were total of 300 constituencies in both parts of the Pakistan. There were as many as 171 constituencies of East Pakistan because it was the most populated part of the country and 129 were of West Pakistan which was smaller in population as compare to East Pakistan. When elections were held, Awami League of Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman secured 169 seats out of 171 in East Pakistan while in West Pakistan PPP led by ZAB could get only 82 seats out of 129 of total constituencies. Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman lost only two seats of Noor-ul-Amin and Raja Tari dev Rai, who later migrated to Pakistan after 1971 tragedy.
ZAB had introduced power sharing formula as he had become power hungry.
Shiekh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman had a pathological hate for two characters (1) Zulifqar Ali Bhutto and (2) Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan.
ST: What would you comment on ZAB power sharing formula?.
KS: The power sharing formula of ZAB was not implementable and it was not legally and logically possible to hand over power to ZAB with minor majority as compare to Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman of Awami League. Pakistan has broken into two parts with the hands of power hungry politicians adding that my difference with ZAB started from this point and friendship turned into enmity.
I was attacked 18 times and passed among the bullets but miracle, I remained quite safe and sound, my elder brother was injured in an attack and even my father Nawab Muhammad Ahmed Khan was assassinated during ZAB regime.
ST: What you did after the assassination of your father?
KS: I lodged a FIR in which I nominated ZAB, (the then PM). After judicial trial, ZAB was executed on April 4, 1979.
ST: ZAB murder was declared judicial murder during the PPP’s regime when Asif Ali Zardari was President of the country, what would you like to comment?
KS: well, It was simple murder case. It is the constitutional responsibility of Prime Minister to protect the life and property of citizens, but when PM himself became a killer who will protect the other except Allah Almighty.
Bhutto had formed the Federal Security Force (FSF) and used it as a political tool and Masud Mahmood was appointed its Director General, who later became witness to promise in my father murder case.
ST: What PPP reward you against your tremendous services for party?
KS: Well, I was awarded highest party award. Actually five party leaders were nominated for this award. Which include (1) Rasul Bux Talpur (2) Hayat Sherpao (3) Miraj Muhammad Khan (4) Ahmed Raza Kasuri and (5) Zulifqar Ali Bhutto.
ST: What is nature of your relations with former President Musharraf?
KS: I have contested his case and categorically denied of any difference with former President Pervez Musharraf adding that I am a Chief coordinator of his political party All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). I have always supported depressed people of society. I have supported ZAB when President General Ayub sacked him from his cabinet. I have supported General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf when his close aide Sheikh Rashid, Chaudhrias of Gujrat, Mushahid Hussain and others have left him alone. I have never been his advisor, minister or other beneficiary.
ST: What would you say about the future of former President Pervez Musharraf?
KS: Pervez Musharraf has developed the country and introduced many economic and political reforms also gave foreign policy for the country. All these things would provide him edge as compare to other politicians. Besides all this, he has established his own political party All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).
ST: What would you say something about the challenges and problems of Pakistan?
KS: Pakistan is the perhaps the only country of the world who enjoys four weather round the year, it has glaciers, top mountains, forests, sea and is enriched with natural resources. It has two economies (1) Agriculture Economy (2) Industrial Economy. It has sixth largest army of the world. It has talented personalities who stable economy of the country internationally such as Agha Hassan Abadi who removed all the hurdles in the economy created by Jewish community. Simple to say that Pakistan has each and every thing in huge quantity except only one thing, that is the lack of leadership who could pull the nation out from crises.
He further said in this regard that if the drivers of the system are stable and honest then it would be beneficial for its followers, while on other hands, if the drivers of the system are corrupt, weak and interest loving people then it would not be fruitful. He quoted the examples of devotees of great prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and second caliph Hazrat Umer Farooq (RA) and suggested to follow the way of life of Hazrat Umer to face every kind of challenge successfully. There is dire need of Umer Sani for the solution of all problems being faced the country.
ST: What would be the role of APML in next general elections of 2018?
KS: Whenever, the general elections were held, APML, being a political party of the country would certainly contest the election and play its role in the political scenario of the country.